submitted by Pastor Van
And
they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples
rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this,
He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder
them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive
the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." Mark 10:13-15
Up in
the attic I saw a very old red wagon.
I’m not sure exactly how old it is but I am sure it classifies as an
antique. One wheel tread is missing and
the tongue is broken off so its days of hauling are pretty much done.
Memories
of the first “wheels” I had in my life go back to a Red Ryder Wagon. My first car was a pretty neat deal as a
teen, but the wagon was a major part of my life as a child. My wagon was a standard run-of-the-mill model
(without the sideboards like my neighbor had on his). But it was mine...well, mine and my
brother’s.
I
think of the many times I rode that wagon up and down the driveway with my knee
in the wagon, my hand on the tongue and one foot pushing on the ground; so much
that my mother complained about me wearing out the shoe on my left side! Up and down the drive with my thoughts a
thousand miles away. And then, when I
was old enough, I pulled it up the hill on Louisville Street and let it
roll! Again, I was alone in my own world
with the air blowing my hair and the rumble of the wagon on the pavement.
The
wagon was a lot of fun to push, but it was actually made to be pulled. I loaded the wagon with all kinds of
things. I would put my dog in the wagon
while I pulled it fast around the yard.
I hauled dirt from the front yard to the back to help my dad with the
flowerbeds the dog had torn up. I piled
it with toys to take to my neighbor’s house next door. I put my captured tortoises and horny toads in
it. And, of course, I pulled my brother.
So,
are you remembering your own red wagon?
It is amazing what kind of things fly through our minds when we see
certain objects from our past? People,
places, feelings and sounds seem to suddenly surround us. We are whisked into the past and all its
sentiment. Suddenly we are a child again
and things long ago forgotten are as prominent as yesterday’s events. Today, we remember the joys of childhood and
the times we played in the yard and with our neighbors.
What
we wouldn’t give to go back at times.
And we can, because God has given us memories to recall the good things
in life. By God’s grace, I also recall
His hand in my life as I rode the small wagon.
I remember the safety and comfort I felt in His presence while I played
and when I said my prayers before sleeping.
From our vantage point today, it seems life was so very simple
then.
Today,
it seems so much harder to trust as we did then. And yet, that is exactly what God desires; a
simple, child-like faith that can bring peace and courage in our lives. As we grow older, the simple things seem so
much more complex and our ability to separate ourselves from the chaos of
living is so much more difficult. Maybe
we need to take a ride in the little red wagon again, let the ride down the
hill thrill us once more and feel the wind of God’s Spirit reminding us He is
with us always.
Scripture to Claim
I
remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your
hands. Psalms 143:5
